If Tomorrow Never Comes

Before I get started on the whole summary, disclaimer and warnings stuff, I just wanted to shout out to those reviewers that made me write the third and most likely final story in the series.

CriminalMindsFan123: Not only was I thinking about doing If Tomorrow Never Comes, but your review pushed me into it! And I loved the finishing of the lyrics in Thunder Rolls. It made me smile!

Alena13: I continued this series that was supposed to be a one shot because of your review. Sorry it wasn't for Christmas. But think of it as a "HAPPY SPRING" present!

Tacpebs: Do you feel cheated now? In this part of my stories we'll delve into the complicated web that is Gibbs' mind and figure out what went wrong and what happened. Maybe it was a big misunderstanding? I don't know!

Pantherbabe4ever: I have actually read some that Tony doesn't forgive Gibbs like Stay and another that I can't remember the name of where Tony goes to Abby about his suspicions and finds pictures then takes them to Abby for proof…I don't remember the name of it though…

Guest kbor: Like I told Tacpebs up above, this will hopefully help most of you understand why Gibbs' did what he did or if he even did what he did…I don't know.

Guest: Your review had me in stitches. Like full out laughing. Thank you for that and I'm sure most (like 3) readers felt the same.

NCIS fan: Again, we're hoping to dive into the inner workings of Gibbs' mind to understand the act that he may or may not have done.

Glowworm41: I agree with you. Gibbs is very fortunate to have such a forgiving partner. And I can promise you that this will be Gibbs' only mistake! Yay!

Normally, I hate shout outs but these people above made my day with their reviews and I believed that they earned some publicity.

Summary: Leroy Jethro Gibbs and Tony DiNozzo have a little more of a heart to heart to try and return back to their previous relationship. But is it all as it seems?

Here we go! Garth Brooks song number three: If Tomorrow Never Comes! The previous two, in order, were Thunder Rolls followed by The Dance. You don't have to read them but I would recommend it otherwise you might be confused beyond all belief.

Disclaimer: Geez! I already wasted 414 words thus far! Okay, I no own CBS. I no own NCIS. I no own characters. I own plotline. I own idea. I no own If Tomorrow Never Comes. I no own Garth Brooks. Did I cover it? Good!

Enjoy my little rabid readers (460 words down…)

Previously on The Dance: Tony nodded as he cried silently in relief that the man he'd fallen in love with had finally returned.

The two men laid there on the couch in peaceful silence. After the rough night the two of them had, both were exhausted. Tony had fallen asleep a while ago, comforted by the presence of his lover and knowing that everything is going to be okay. Jethro watched him sleep with a content smile on his face. He loved watching Tony sleep. There just something that is so unguarded and exposed that he didn't get to see during the day. Fleetingly, Jethro thought about the expression on his lover's face last night and his smile faded. He never wanted to put that look on his face ever again. Jethro wanted to make sure that Tony would never doubt how much he loved him in the future, that he knew that Jethro loved him more and more every day and that he had made a mistake, a large one at that, that he would never stop loving him.

He didn't want to face the possibility that Tony would end up like Shannon and Kelly. Jethro always wondered if they knew that he would've given his life if they could continue on earth. That he loved them so much that the mere thought of them made his heart ache unbearably and coupled with the thought that if Tony would be removed from his life the last moments of his life would be full of doubt and sadness. Jethro didn't want that. He wanted Tony to know that he was the reason that he could love again. Tony was the reason for so many things lately, his smiles, his laughs, and his open heart. He wanted his lover to understand that and to never doubt that for one moment.

Moreover, Jethro didn't want to add Tony to the rank of failed marriages and relationships. Tony entered this relationship knowing full well of his history and he declared that he wasn't going to be another number in the line of exes. Tony observed the slight and outright resentment that the ex-wives held for Jethro, he witnessed his relationships with Colonel Mann and Doctor Ryan. He knew that Jethro was hard to live with, difficult to talk to and an all-around bastard. But despite all that, Tony still willingly gave his love and trust.

That second, Jethro made himself a promise. A promise that is more sacred than his flimsy rules. A promise that could lead to more pain if broken. He would make sure his lover wouldn't doubt the way Jethro cares about him in his heart. In their line of work, they never knew what would happen, and if Jethro was yanked from Tony, he wanted to be sure that Tony wouldn't question how they felt about each other.

"You're thinking too hard." Tony mumbled. Jethro looked down to see two green eyes staring back at him. His heart leapt for joy when he saw that the light had returned to Tony's eyes and most importantly he saw the love reflected back to them. "What's wrong?" Tony asked as he saw the look of uncertainty on his lover's face.

"Nothing." Jethro said, he paused, trying to figure out a way to put his thoughts into words. "I was just thinking about Shannon and Kelly and how I wished that I showed them how much they meant to me."

"Jethro…" Tony raised up more to look at his lover's face. "I'm sure they knew."

"I don't know, but if I could do it again, I would tell Shannon how much I loved her each day. I would spend more time with Kelly. There's so much I should've done that I never had the chance to do." Jethro took a deep breath and ran his hands up and down Tony's back. "I don't want that to happen with you, again. I don't want you to doubt if I ever loved you. I want you to know that no matter what happens, I will always love you."

"I never doubted that." Tony paused as he thought about it, "maybe I doubted exactly what kind of love you felt for me, but not once did I ever think that you don't. I just don't understand why you went off to be with her." Tony's voice filled with venom and hate and Jethro really couldn't blame him.

"I didn't mean for things to go so far out of control like they did." Jethro looked beyond Tony, unable to look him in the eyes as he admitted his weakness. "She and I dated a few times long ago after the divorce from Diane. We hadn't been dating long before we broke it off. A few months ago, she came to me, crying, saying that her husband is leaving her and she didn't know what to do. We started talking then but nothing happened. Then, one night while you and your frat brothers went on that weekend away, she invited me to a bar and catch up on old times. You had left the previous day, I know it's a lame excuse but that's what I was thinking, and you were busy and I was missing you and I guess she had some feelings left for me."

"Well, obviously she has feeling for you if she came onto you." Tony said haughtily. "That explains the first night. What about the other nights?"

Jethro sighed heavily. He knew if he wanted this to work with Tony he'd have to lay all the cards on the table. "She was the only redhead that I've been with that was even remotely close to being like Shannon. I guess I got lost in the fantasy of having Shannon back, for getting to say and do all the things that her and I didn't have time for."

"You have got to be joking." Tony said flatly. "Do I have to be wary of every redhead that cross our path? Do I have to prepare to move on and leave if the right 'Shannon-look-a-like' shows up?"

"No, Tony," Jethro knew that Tony was justified in his thought process but he wanted to quench those fears once and for all. He just wasn't sure how.

"Really? Cause that's kind of what it's sounding like!" Tony sat up and stared exasperatedly at his lover. "I'm not them, I'm not Shannon. I'm Tony DiNozzo. I'm you Senior Field Agent. I'm your fucking boyfriend! And it hurts to hear you lump me into some category like I don't mean a thing!"

"I know you're not. Believe me, I do." Jethro reached out to grab his hand but Tony pulled it away. "Call it a moment of weakness. Temporary insanity. Two month madness. I don't care. But I do care about you."

"Well you've got a hell of a way of showing it!" Tony snapped as he leaned forward and put his head in his hands. His shoulders began to shake with suppressed sobs. Jethro mentally head-slapped himself, haven't you made him cry enough? Jethro sat up and wrapped his arms around the younger man. His hand rubbed soothing patterns on Tony's back and shoulders.

"It may be too late for promises and heartfelt sonnets, but you gave me the ability to love someone again. To be able to open up to someone and let them in. Everyday your smiles and jokes brings a smile to my face and makes me laugh. If you were to ever leave, I would be devastated." Jethro watched as Tony raised his head and looked at him. Tears were still falling down his face and Jethro reached up and rubbed them away.

Tony stared at his lover, torn between breaking down in tears of joy or to smack him on the back of the head for even putting themselves in this situation.

"God, I really want to hate you right now…" Tony leaned forward and pressed his lips to Jethro's. His hands rubbed up his lover's chest before running his fingers through Jethro's short silver hair at the nape of his neck. Jethro pulled Tony closer and coaxed his lover's mouth open. Tony's lips parted willingly and Jethro's tongue explored, reuniting itself with the warmth and familiarity that is Tony.

Jethro swore that he wouldn't do anything to risk losing this. Losing the man that loved him, faults and all, was not something that he could even think about now or in the future. He wouldn't allow that to happen.

Jethro drew back, placed a quick kiss to Tony's nose and smiled at the look that remained. "I love you, baby, so fucking much. And I don't know how you could ever forgive me, to give me your heart again."

"I'm giving you this chance because the man that I had fallen in love with so many years ago, has finally returned and I missed him." Tony leaned forward and rested his forehead against Jethro's with a smile. "I love you, forever and always. And as long as the Jethro I know and love sticks around, we won't have a problem."

"I think he's gonna be here for a long time." Jethro reached up and caressed Tony's cheek with his thumb. "For as long as you'll have him."

So tell that someone that you love, just what you're thinking of. If Tomorrow Never Comes…

And they all lived happily ever after! Aw! Okay, go ahead and review. I want anything you've got, thoughts, concerns, complaints, love letters, death threats...whatever you got. I'm very lenient that way. :) The button is somewhere around here. I'm sure you can find it!